HOW COUNSELLING CAN HELP
What is counselling used for?
Talking therapies such as counselling can be used to help with many different mental health conditions, including:
•depression
•anxiety
•borderline personality disorder (BPD)
•obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
•post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
•long-term illnesses
•eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia
•drug misuse alcohol dependency,gambeling
How counselling can help
Counselling aims to help you deal with and overcome issues that are causing emotional pain or making you feel uncomfortable.
It can provide a safe and regular space for you to talk and explore difficult feelings. The counsellor is there to support you and respect your views. They won't usually give advice, but will help you find your own insights into and understanding of your problems.
Counselling can help you:
•cope with a bereavement or relationship breakdown
•cope with redundancy or work-related stress
•explore issues such as sexual identity
•deal with issues preventing you achieving your ambitions
•deal with feelings of depression or sadness, and have a more positive outlook on life
•deal with feelings of anxiety, helping you worry less about things
•understand yourself and your problems better
•feel more confident
•develop a better understanding of other people's points of view
Counselling can often involve talking about difficult or painful feelings and, as you begin to face them, you may feel worse in some ways. However, with the help and support of your therapist, you should gradually start to feel better.
In most cases, it takes a number of sessions before the counselling starts to make a difference, and a regular commitment is required to make the best use of the therapy.